By NATION REPORTER
FINANCE and National Planning Minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane has said Government has released K10.9 billion in February for budget execution.
Dr Musokotwane said government would continue to build on the gains made in financial governance and ensure that the utilisation of public resources effectively contributes to economic transformation and improvement of the well-being of citizens.
Dr Musokotwane called on public institutions under the Ministry to maintain smooth engagement with stakeholders, and communicate the milestones achieved in programme implementation, on a quarterly basis, to the public. As previously stated by the Minister, public institutions should ensure that funds released by the Treasury are utilised on budgeted programmes – in a timely, efficient and effective manner.
“We now take this opportunity to brief the nation that in February 2023, the Government released K10.9 billion to finance public service delivery. Of this amount, K3.6 billion was released for the public service wage bill whilst K3.5 billion was spent on debt service (domestic and external) and other liabilities,” he said.
He said releases to transfers, subsidies and social benefits amounted to K1.5 billion and in addition, K1.7 billion was released for implementation of various Government programmes and general operations, while K573.5 million was spent on capital expenditure such as road infrastructure.
Dr Musokotwane said Government released a total of K1.5 billion towards transfers and subsidies.
He said some key expenditure items included K330.8 million for the operations of grant aided institutions under several Government ministries, and for public hospitals, countrywide, K235.6 million for the Public Service Pension Fund grant and financing gap.
Dr Musokotwane said K220.8 million for Youth and Women Empowerment Funds under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), while K209.9 million for the Social Cash Transfer Programme, countrywide.
He said K120.1 million for operation of public universities, K111.6 million to the Local Government Equalisation Fund and K108 million for the Food Security Pack Programme.
Dr Musokotwane said the Treasury released K573.5 million towards road infrastructure to ensure that emergency road works were done so that as many roads as possible, remained in a usable state during the rainy season.
He said K1.7 billion was released by the Treasury to facilitate service delivery under various government institutions. Notable expenditure items under this category.
He said the Government also spent K3.6 billion on costs relating to the wage bill for various public service workers.
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